India halts Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, shuts down Attari border

In the wake of the terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam that left 26 tourists dead, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which met in the capital today (April 23), announced the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty — a key water-sharing agreement brokered in 1960 — until Pakistan acts decisively against cross-border terrorism.

The CCS also announced the shutting down of the Attari border for all movement. Additionally, Pakistani nationals will no longer be allowed to travel to India. All existing visas issued under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) stand cancelled, and Pakistani citizens currently in India have been asked to leave within 48 hours.

The government has also moved to downgrade diplomatic ties. Pakistani defence, navy, and air force advisers posted in India have been declared persona non grata and ordered to leave. India will also withdraw its own defence representatives from Pakistan. The overall strength of both high commissions will be sharply reduced — from 55 to 30 personnel each by May 1, 2025.

The CCS has directed all security forces across the country to remain in a state of heightened vigilance. Intelligence agencies have been instructed to intensify monitoring of cross-border activity, particularly along the Line of Control.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri informed that the CCS meeting happened this evening under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Given the severity of the recent attack, India appears to be looking for ways to reconfigure the deterrence framework with Pakistan, and the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty should be seen in that light. The IWT has long been viewed as a potential flashpoint between the states, and India appears to have decided, finally, that enough is enough as it explores all options on how to respond to the attack,” said Harsh V Pant, Vice-President of Studies and Foreign Policy at the Observer Research Foundation.

Terror attack in Kashmir’s tourist hotspot Pahalgam

On Monday evening (April 22), gunmen opened fire in the meadow of Baisaran, a popular tourist destination near Pahalgam in Kashmir. Witness accounts indicate that the assailants questioned visitors about their religion before targeting the men and shooting them at close range.

The brutal attack left 26 dead, including tourists from 14 Indian states and one foreign national, marking the most devastating act of terror in the Valley since the Pulwama incident in 2019.

Responsibility for the strike has been claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a militant outfit widely believed to operate as a proxy for the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. The incident has drawn widespread outrage and plunged the country into mourning.

In a strongly worded statement issued earlier today, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned of a firm response. Without directly naming Pakistan, he stated, “I assure people that the Government of India will take every step that is necessary and appropriate. And we will not only get those who have carried out this incident, we will also reach out to those who, sitting behind the scenes, have conspired to commit such nefarious acts on the soil of India.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who returned to Delhi this morning after cutting short his trip to Saudi Arabia, condemned the assault and pledged justice. In an emotionally charged post on X late last night, he wrote, “Those behind this heinous act will not be spared... their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakeable...”